Earthlings and Asgardians
by Black Snowdrop
Summary: When Svartalfheim lays a trap for Midgard, Darcy falls into it and becomes embroiled in the Asgardian's vendetta against Malekith with the help of Jane who comes to rescue her friend. Through this she meets Loki, God of Mischief and through her, Loki finds the possibility of redemption as Midgard prepares to strike back against the Dark Elves with the help of Asgard. Tasertricks!
1. Home and Alone

**Author's Note: **Well guys, I just recently watched Armageddon (what a fantastic movie) and it gave me so much inspiration to write my first LokixDarcy fic with a similar plot theme. So if you like that movie, I hope you'll enjoy this fic. Not that I'm completely following the movie, there's just a few plot elements that I think would really work for this story. Anyway enough rambling and… voila!

Chapter One

Darcy had never been so happy to see the familiar desert-like terrain and small town of Puerto Santigo, New Mexico. Despite the fact that it was lacking in many attractions or natural beauty, this insignificant little town meant a lot to her. Even before all the events that had surrounded Thor's arrival, Darcy had always felt more at home here than in New York, her birthplace. New York was great if you wanted to be lost in the crowd but surrounded by attractions everywhere you went. Puerto Santigo had everything you could really need and the population was so small that you ended up knowing most of the people there, which was kind of nice.

It had been weird saying goodbye to Jane in New York (and meeting up with Erik too, briefly) as the scientist had offered to stay with SHIELD there during the rebuild of the city (along with Erik). With all the equipment and assistants she could ever want, Jane didn't really need Darcy anymore. Of course, she hadn't said it. She'd offered a weak excuse for Darcy to stay but Darcy saw straight through it and Jane knew she did. Darcy could see in Jane's eyes that she'd _wanted_ Darcy to stay. But there was no place for a political science major in SHIELD and Darcy knew that. Not without changing her career path and Darcy refused to do that.

Not that there were many opportunities in New Mexico but it was her new, preferred home and it was where Darcy felt most comfortable. Even if she did end up changing careers, she'd rather do it here than anywhere else. Still, Darcy was confident that something in politics would turn up someday. There could be opportunities in the mayor's office perhaps or something else.

For now Darcy was considering going to stay in Jane's old laboratory which SHIELD had emptied, now that Jane was moving with them. Darcy wasn't quite sure how she was going to afford it without hand-outs from SHIELD or Jane. She had some savings put away but she needed to get a proper job. There was always the caravan too. At least then she'd feel safer what with the old laboratory's many points of entry.

Darcy dragged her suitcase on wheels up to the laboratory, carrying a heavy bag on her shoulder too. She gazed up at the building, thinking over the recent events that had occurred here; the broken glass that had littered the road before it during Thor's battle with the Destroyer… She was so lost in thought that she didn't see the man in a suit step out until he did so in front of her.

Gasping, she pulled herself to a stop and managed a small smile at the man who was also smiling. Darcy ran her eyes over him. Sharply dressed, sunglasses, looking very sharp and official; he practically screamed SHIELD agent. He had thin hair which he was losing gradually. He looked familiar and it took a few moments for Darcy to recognise him. "Agent… Coulson?" she asked.

Coulson was smiling a little more now. "Oh good, you remembered, thanks." He said smoothly and politely. "I came here on behalf of Jane Foster."

Darcy frowned. "Jane, what does she want? Is she okay?" she asked immediately, thoughts of Jane in some kind of trouble, filling her head unless, of course, she'd discovered some secret galaxy already, what with her new toys and all. That wouldn't surprise Darcy in the slightest.

"She's fine, Miss Lewis. Miss Foster simply wanted me to give you this," he said and handed Darcy some papers she didn't even realise he'd been holding by his side as well as some keys. She looked at him quizzically before glancing over the papers. She took a few moments to read them before her eyebrows shot up instantly. For a moment she couldn't speak and she had to keep looking down at the papers and then back up at Coulson in pure disbelief.

"B-but she can't do that… and Erik…" Darcy murmured. "This is a hand out, I can't accept it…" Darcy said slightly reluctantly but knowing it was the right thing to do.

Coulson chuckled. "Miss Foster said you'd object. She's prepared a counter argument."

_Of course she has… _Darcy thought with a smile. "Let's hear it," she challenged.

Coulson was now looking amused at Darcy. "Miss Foster and Mr Selveig have explained that they were never able to pay you a full wage and that living conditions were less than satisfactory in that caravan. Not to mention the events of the Destroyer thanks to their research leading to Thor. They said you were put in circumstances that were unreasonable for any employee never mind an assistant to two scientists." He paused. "As such Miss Foster and Mr Selveig have signed the lab over to you so you can make it your home. They feel it's the only compensation they can offer for not being able to provide you with much before."

Darcy stared at him in disbelief. "This is compensation?!" she asked.

Coulson smiled politely and nodded. "It seems so. It's yours outright so you won't have to pay rent or anything but you will have utility bills and…" he glanced round at the scarcely furnished lower floor which consisted of a plastic dining table, a basic kitchen, a small bathroom (which did consist of a shower since the caravan was too small) and a couch for a living room. There was a lot of space that had once been occupied by equipment.

Darcy knew that upstairs was where most of the equipment had been kept so it would just be an empty space. It would be one hell of a big bedroom. She couldn't afford any work to be done on it. Could she even really afford a bed? She needed her savings for utility bills. She then recalled the lounge chairs that were on the roof. If she could bring one of them down then that would make a good bed. She bit her lip. It was either that or find the caravan.

"What happened to the caravan?" Darcy asked randomly. She was grateful to Jane and Erik of course but curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"It was destroyed by the Destroyer," he said.

Darcy couldn't help a childish little giggle at that. "That sounds so weird to hear from an adult."

Coulson's smile was both amused and warm now. His eyes were full of a mix of friendliness and seriousness that you wouldn't expect in a SHIELD agent. "Its name is somewhat unoriginal," he quipped, smirking a little.

Darcy grinned and then looked down at the papers and then back up at Coulson. "Thanks… and… tell Jane and Erik, I said thanks…" she said and glanced at the papers once more. Well… it still felt a little bit like a hand-out but she did kind of know what Jane and Erik meant. At least she'd somewhat earned this place to live.

Coulson nodded and then looked behind him. "Are you going to be alright settling in?" he asked her.

Darcy nodded, feeling braver than she felt at the prospect of living in such an open house alone. "Yeah I'll be fine," she said and gave him a reassuring smile.

For a moment she and Coulson just stood in silence. However, he soon cleared his throat and made towards his car. "Well, I better get back," he said. "People to see and all that. Good luck, Miss Lewis," he said. "And goodbye." He climbed into his car and Darcy managed a wave before he carefully drove off. His black shiny car glimmered briefly in the sunlight before turning down another street and disappearing.

Darcy turned and looked up at the lab once more before walking inside. The main area seemed so much bigger without any of the equipment around. Darcy put her things down and made her way to the kitchen to see if there had been any food left over. Having a quick rummage through the fridge, Darcy quickly surmised that there was nothing. She'd need to go to the store. But first, she needed to go unpack in her… in her ridiculously sized bedroom. Hmm, maybe once she was earning some money she could have some separate rooms put in. What for, she didn't know just yet. Maybe a study, a study sounded good. It was kind of classy and cool having a study.

If she did manage to get a political job around here then she'd need an office for her work. That would be pretty neat and impressive. She could stop sounding like such a dorky fish out of water around Jane. She'd have her own career going on. Smiling at the thought, Darcy headed upstairs.

The space was immense without all the computers and inventions that Jane had built. Darcy put her luggage down again and moved around the space. She found herself by the window, looking out over the town. Her eyes found a spot where her mind began to flash back to the showdown Thor had with the metal menace known as the Destroyer.

Darcy could remember that day well; the sights the sounds…. She remembered how the smell of burning was filling her nostrils so much that she wanted to choke. Her ears rang with metal clanging and the screams of terrified people. Glass was all around her feet and people she'd never known, stood around her. It was the most terrifying day of her life and she was just a bystander. Most people's worst memories were them being subjected to some awful experience. But in Darcy's, it hadn't even been happening to her, not really. It was enough for Jane and Erik to leave her this place though, she thought to herself with some bemusement.

She tore herself away from the window and moved upstairs onto the roof. The warm air and soft breeze greeted her and, just for a second, Darcy was reminded of why Jane came out here so often. (Not always because she drove Jane crazy, honestly!) Darcy walked forwards and around the rooftop, looking around. She suddenly felt very alone here, with no one to share this place with. She swallowed a little, holding back some emotion as she did. All at once she felt sadness creep into her. She was alone without her friends and yet she felt a comforting sense of home again.

Moving towards one of the loungers, Darcy sighed when she realised it was all attached, she couldn't take it down piece by piece. She picked up the cushions off both and took them downstairs before coming back up and picked a lounger up, on its side, carrying it like that. It was awkward getting through the door but luckily Darcy was pretty slender. She managed to get it down to the bedroom after a struggle down the stairs. She put it down in a corner and thought quietly for a moment. If she brought the other one down and got Dan from town to saw off the left arm off one and right arm off the other, she could make a double bed version of whatever she was lying on.

In ten minutes, Darcy had both of the loungers down and with the cushions on, before inspecting her work. Not bad considering she was on her own. She would look for Dan when she went food shopping. Her stomach rumbled. Right on cue... Travelling and heavy lifting had worked up quite an appetite apparently. Darcy grinned and grabbed her handbag from inside her big hand luggage back. She made sure her purse, phone and keys were all safely in before going downstairs and stepping out into the familiar sunny town. She locked up behind her and stared upwards.

This was it now. This was her home and she was on her own. No Erik, no Jane… no one. Darcy swallowed. She'd get used to it. It wouldn't be forever. One day she'd meet someone too and they'd come and live here with her. She smiled weakly at the unconvincing thought and then turned, walking away from the laboratory and into town.


	2. Strange Stars

Chapter Two

Day Two of this solitary living and I'm already bored out of my skull, Darcy thought to herself as she lay on her double lounger-bed (courtesy of Dan and his saw). She glanced out the window and recognised the fading light of evening. It was about time.

The day, like yesterday, had dragged on. She'd tried to fill it with job hunting, tidying her new home etc but there were only so many places to find work in this small town. She'd done all of this by 2pm and had had to laze around after that. Thankfully she'd had her iPod but then it had run out of power and so had to be charged. So now she was lying around, thinking of ways to keep busy.

The job hunting had to turn up something, even if it was just some shifts in the café for now. Her savings wouldn't last forever. In fact she wasn't even sure they'd last past a month. After that she was screwed. But at least she was screwed with a roof over her head, she thought sarcastically. And she was certainly not going to ask Jane or Erik for anything, not after what they'd already done.

Darcy sighed as she lay there staring up at the ceiling. Somehow she'd gotten herself into another mess, just by coming home to this quiet little town…

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was 9pm and Jane hadn't stopped all day.

It was only her third day in her new state of the art lab but she was smitten and having lots of assistants who were trained to understand what she was doing helped a lot. Jane instantly felt bad for thinking that. For someone with a completely different major, Darcy had been amazing. But it was unfair of Jane to expect her to stay with her when she'd studied a whole different major and had different opportunities for a career than the ones Jane was offering.

But she would miss her regardless. In fact Jane mentally told herself to give Darcy a call later and see how she was doing. She smiled to herself as she recalled Coulson telling her how shocked Darcy was at the gift that Jane and Erik had given her. Well, it was more compensation. She hadn't been able to pay Darcy properly and then she'd been dragged into the mess with Thor and then been taken to the island during the Loki troubles. Darcy had more than earned that house. She just took everything on the chin; something that Jane greatly admired her for.

Jane returned her attention to the stars she was examining. She was sure that they weren't the same stars that she had seen the day before. The telescope was pointing the same way down to the exact coordinates it was yesterday. But the stars were completely different. She'd printed off an image of the stars yesterday and the stars today. She'd sent Erik to look around the area for Bifrost runes.

Her heart pounded as she thought about the possibility of another point for the Bifrost to beam people down to. But that thought was quickly followed by two other troubling thoughts. She knew that the Bifrost was equally likely to be able to beam Asgardians down anywhere but it left the runes print when it did. That disheartened Jane greatly.

The second troubling thought was that she had no way of getting to Asgard anyway. She had to rely on Thor coming here; which he'd promised to do; except she wasn't so sure that he was going to fulfil that particular promise anymore. It had been over a year since she'd last seen him. She'd heard about him helping the Avengers out. So he had come to Earth but clearly hadn't wanted to see her. That made her feel kind of sick with disappointment as well as let down by him. Guess you couldn't really count on gods after all. After all there were stories in the Greek myths of mortals being taken advantage of or disappointed by the Gods and if Norse Gods were real, why not Greek or Roman?

Jane turned back to the stars. As a scientist, the change in stars was interesting enough without focusing on the familiarity to the events with Thor. She continued to examine the stars until she heard footsteps entering the room. She looked up as Erik came up to her. He was already shaking his head and she gave him a weak smile, already resigned to what he was going to tell her.

"It's alright, Erik," she said. "I'm kind of starting to think maybe I should just give up," she admitted.

A look of shock and protest crossed Erik's face. "Jane, you can't-" he began but Jane cut him off with a wave of her hand and a shake of her head. Her eyes were closed as she spoke again.

"Erik, I have to, or I'm going to spend the rest of my life waiting and… I can't do that, Erik. I've got too much to do and see. Besides, these stars are pretty fascinating. "

Erik was frowning now but he came to have a look at the stars again. "They've changed again," he said suddenly. "They've changed from the stars you saw last night," he said.

Jane frowned and looked through the telescope, gently nudging Erik aside. "What?" she asked then looked for herself. "No, they look the same…" she said before she spotted it. In the middle of the set of stars, there was now an extra one, shining brightly. That was when Jane noticed the new one to the top left, underneath another and on the left of another to make a L shape, though a very small one. Jane blinked and stepped away from the telescope. "How can that sky be changing like that? Unless…. Someone's changing it…"

"Like a God," Erik suggested. "Thor's father Odin, he's supposed to be powerful enough."

"But why change the stars?" Jane asked. "What's the point?"

"To leave a message?" Erik said. He then paused guiltily. "Jane, there's something I never told you."

Jane looked at him quizzically. "What is it, Erik?" she asked, immediately wary. Erik paused for a moment, as if contemplating his words before he spoke. This didn't go unnoticed by Jane who frowned even more at him. "Erik?" she repeated, her voice tinged with a little impatience.

"Thor did mention something when I was with him in Central Park. It seems that he was only able to get to Earth through the Tessaract and not the Bifrost. Something seems to have happened to it," he said. "Anyway… umm…. He did have a message but I didn't know whether to give it or not, what would be kinder…"

Jane's heart sank. "He's not coming back."

"No," Erik shook his head. "It's not that… It was just that… he's sorry."

Jane's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "He's sorry…? That's it? That was the message?"

Erik looked away uncomfortably. "Pretty much."

"What's he sorry for? Not coming back like he promised? Not visiting me whilst he was here or… what? Sorry but he's not coming back?" Jane asked, ignoring the telescope now.

"I don't know… for everything, making you wait maybe," Erik said with a shrug. He clearly wasn't comfortable delivering this message from Thor and Jane felt a spark of rage inside her for the God of Thunder making poor Erik do his dirty work for him. It reminded her too much of the Thor that had come down to Earth at first before he'd mellowed.

Jane swallowed hard for a moment and forced a smile for Erik. She knew it was forced and he knew it was forced, she could tell. But she did it anyway. "Thank you, Erik," she said quietly. "I'm glad I know. I… I can move on," she said. She turned back to the telescope and took a few deep breaths.

Erik stared at her for a few moments before leaving the room, sensing that Jane wanted to be left alone. He'd always been good at sensitivity towards others and Jane really appreciated it right now. She held back her tears until he'd left the room and then she let them flow down her face, slowly soaking her cheeks as she cried silently into the night.

After a while, she stopped and moved away from the telescope. She wiped her eyes and decided she couldn't work, nor did she want to think about Thor. She needed a distraction. She stood there for a few moments before smiling as she thought of one.

Walking over to the phone, she dialled a familiar number and waited until the voice on the other end answered.

"Hey Darcy…"


End file.
